Threading device



Dec. 13, 1949 -`c. A. PINKHAM ET AL THREADING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1947 www fn y

. INVENTORS &4, HTIWRNEY.'

Patented Dec. 13, 1949 THREADING DEVICE Clarence A. Pinkham, Douglaston, and Bartholomew Holohan,

Kew Gardens, N. Y., assignorsto Nelpin Manufacturing Co. Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application December 9, 1947, Serial No.V V'790,518

1l Claims.

Various arrangements of needle threaders have been proposed, but all are relatively complicated to manipulate. Generally, it is necessary to hold the needle with its eye aligned with a, threading hook, manually manipulate` a, hook operator to project it through the needle eye, lay the thread in the hook, and then withdraw the hook through the eye. While springs are sometimes used to make one or more of the operators self-executing, considerable manipulation is still required. Furthermore, such semi-automatic threaders are complicated in construction and liable to derangement in operation.

With the present appliance, it is necessary only to press the eye end of the needle into a receiving passage, lay the thread into a wide-mouthed slot, and thread the needle as it is being withdrawn. The appliance comprises only. a few, simply assembled parts so arranged and interrelated as to function in a simple, noncomplicated manner, and not easily subject to derangement.-

More specically, the present threading appliance comprises a base, having means for mounting a spool of thread, and a' casingrmember secured to the base. The casing member comprises a pair of surface juxtaposed plates, one of which is molded, machined or the like to provide certain passa-ges and recesses and the other of which acts as a closure r cover for such recesses and passages. Desirably, the base and casing may be made of a suitable translucent composition material, or non-translucent material may be used. Alternatively, the 'base and casing can be metal, wood, or any suitable material.

The casing member .is formed with a needle receiving passage and a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of the passage. A thread engaging element, such as a ne Lwire or flat metal hook, is pivotally mounted in a casing recess for movement across the axis of the passage and into the slot and thread engaging position therein. A biasing means, such as a spring, is provided nor` mally to bias the hook toward the thread slot. Such movement is blocked, however, by a cam means, such as a plunger or anvil, mounted for longitudinal movement in a second passage aligned with the needle passage.` Spring biasing means urge the cam means tov a position blocking the intersection ci the thread slot and the 2 needle passage and preventing movement of the hook into the thread slot. p

The cam means spring is of greater strength than the hook biasing spring, so that the latter is elTective to bias the hook into the slot only when the cam means is forced out of its hook obstructing position. The cam means is preferably an anvil or plunger having a, cam surface on its upper end on which the hook rides in the inactive position, and a hook slot to guide the hook through the needle eye. Also, a needle aligning recess is formed on the upper end of the cam means in alignment with the hook slot.

To operate the appliance, the needle is inserted, up end rst, into the needle passage until it engages the needle recess in the anvil and moves the latter to the retracted position. A pair of flat, engaging leaf springs are disposed along the needle passage and are engaged by the needle eye to rotate the needle to align the eye with the hook. These springs exert sufficient frictional force against the needle to hold it from being ejected from the needle passage by the anvil spring acting to restore the anvil to its hook blocking position.

As the anvil is retracted, the hook is moved, by its biasing spring, through the anvil hook slot and the needle eye into the thread slot. The thread is then drawn from a spool and laid in the thread slot, where it is held in place by la siitable friction clip lying alongside the thread s o When the needle is withdrawn, it is aided in its outward passage 'by movement of the cam means under the action of its biasing spring, into its hook obstructing position. The eye of the needle as the latter is being withdrawn and urged outwardly as aforesaid, initiating the camming of the hook back'toward its retracted position, and the hook pulls a thread look through the eye. 'As the cam means moves outwardly, the cam surface engages and cams the hook further intovits retracted position. The needle is withdrawn 'from its passage, while the hook is still engaged with the thread loop, and in its movement pulls the loose end of the thread through the then xedly positioned hook, leaving a single thread, rather than a loop, extending through the eye.

It is therefore among the objects of thisinvention to provide a simple, inexpensive threading appliance.

Another object is to provide such an appliance which operates automatically/to thread a needle upon insertion of the needle into the appliance.

A further objectis to provide a threading appassage .25.

slot Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation View, partly in section, on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the elements of the device in an intermediate position.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional'view on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a partial elevation View showing the finish of a threading operation.

Fig. l is a plan View oi the device.

.Referring rstto Fig. '7, the threading appliance comprises a base l5, preferably rectangular in form, on which is mounted a casing member l5 and a pin l l for supporting a spool l2 containing thread 20. Casing member l5, which is perpendicular to base lll and preferably located near an edge of the base at some distance from pin ll, contains the elements of the threading appliance. Base I5 and casing member I5 may be made of any suitable material, although a transparent composition material is preferred.

Casing member l5 .comprises a pair Vof peripherally congruent plates lli, il, secured together by. suitable means such as rivets i8. .Plate l which is thicker than plate il, is formed with open facedrecesses to receive the threading mechanism, and plate l1 actsias a closure 'for such recesses.

Plate lB is formed with a needle'receiving'passage 25, comprising an upper section '2t having la flared opening 22, .a lower section 23 having a iiared opening 24 and an open, relatively large intermediate recess 2S closed by plate l1. Lower section 23 opens into alarge, inverted L-shaped open recess 21 in plate I5, closed by plate il,

which recess houses certain elements of the threading appliance.

Athread receiving slot 38 extends diagonally inward and then downward from one side of casing member l5 into recess 2l and its axis of Also in recess '2l is a mounting member 3l having a nose .32 and an oppositely directed heel 33. Member 3l ispivotal on a pin 34 and is biased to swing in a counter clockwise direction by a tension spring connected between heel 33 and a pin 3l. Such counter clockwisebias tends to urge a threading device, such asa wire hooksl secured to nose 32, across the axis of. needle passage 25.and.into thread. slot 30- to engagea thread 2). therein.

Such movement of hook. 35. is normally blocked ..by ajplunger or-anvils) *whichis movably mounted in a recess .4l aligned with needle passage 25.

The "shank 42 of anvil 45,and recess 4| are rectangular in cross-section to prevent rotational movement of the anvil. A compression spring '43 normally biases the cam head 4E of anvil 45 to a position blocking movement of hook 35 into For thispurposa spring 53 is made to have greater strength than spring 35.

Cam headr 45, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, is formed with a longitudinal slot 45 for receiving the eye end of a needle and a deep narrow hook 35 and member 3l clockwise a needle, it is necessary for dicular to the axis of the eye.

. aligns the needle eye with hook 35.

1 compressing spring lcam slot 4l.

'25, .the free end transverse slot 41, intersecting slot 45 at right angles, for receiving and guiding hook 35. A cam ear 48 extends laterally from anvil 4G toward member 3|, and has a sloping cam surface 49. Surface 49 intersects head 45 at the base of transverse hook slot 41. Normally, hook 35 rides on cam surface 49, in theretracted position, and as anvil 45 is depressed by a needle 58, rides into slot 41. As the needle is withdrawn and anvil 40 moves upwardly, cam surface 49 swings to the retracted position.

In order for the appliance to operate to thread the eye 5l of a needle 5D to be axially aligned with hook 35. It is well-known that a needle is flattened adjacent its eye, with the atsurfaces extending perpen- Accordingly, a pair of flat springs 52 are mounted in passages 53 diverging upwardly from recess 25. Thelower into passage 25, springs 52 are engaged by the needle eye and eiect rotation of the needle until :the dat needle surfaces adjacentthe eye are engaged by the at surfaces of springs 52. This Additionally,

springs 52 exert sufcent pressure against the needle to hold anvil 40 retracted against the force of its spring 43.

As stated, the appliance operates automatically in response to pressing of a needle 58, eye end first, into passage. 25. As theneedle is pressed in, springs 52 cause the needle to rotate to alignthe y eye 5l with hook 35.

Further downward movement of needle 55 engages its eye end in slot 4'5 of cam head 45, and pressure on the needle moves anvil 4c downward,

43. Spring 35 swings member 3l counter clockwise as' hook 35 rides along As needle 55 and anvil il continue their downward movement, eye 5| is aligned vwith hook 35 and the latter passes through eye 5! and into slot 30 in thread engaging position as shown in Fig. 4. The thread 20 is then drawn from its spool andthe free end thereof is laid in slot 30, being drawn towards the closed end of such slot. To hold thread Edin slot 35, a spring clip Si! is secured alongside the slot, with its arms sprung inwardly of the slot into abutment. Thread 20 may be easily drawn between the clip arms.

When `the upward movement of the needle 50 is initiated by manual action against the pressure of springs 52,-spring 43 forcesanvil 45 and needle 50 upwardly. As the upward movement of the needle 5g is continued by further manual action Aand the expansion of spring 43 against anvil 40, the rearmost inner surface or" needle eye 5l cams hook 35 clockwise until hook end 38 rides out of the eye,'and into hook slot- 41, drawing a loop As needle 50 in its upward 25, it pulls a double thread loop up into passage of the thread being drawn around and eventually clears hook 35, leaving the needle threaded with a single strand of thread 20. Thread 20`from the spoolV may then eye.

vtrate the principles of the invention, it will be-V 'understood that the invention may be otherwise the slot to engage be pulled through amount and severed.

It will thus be seen that a novel threading applicance has been provided which is operated automatically solely by pressing the eye end of a needle into a needle passage. A spring biased, thread engaging hook is normally blocked from entering a thread receiving slot by a hook camming anvil which is biased by a stronger spring to a blocking position. When the anvil is moved to its retracted position by pressure of the needle, the hook biasing spring swings the hook through the needle eye to catch a thread. Upon withdrawing the needle, the needle eye and the anvil conjointly cam the thread hook to its retracted position to drawa thread loop through the needle Flat springs in the needle passage automatically align the needle eye with the thread hook.

Additionally, the appliance comprises only a very few simple and rugged parts. Derangement is substantially impossible, and the operation of threading is extremely simple. All that is necessary is to lay a thread in slot 3@ and press a needle, eye end iirst, into passage 25. When 1 the pressure on the needle is released, the needle is forced outwardly, threaded.

While a specic embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illuspassage 2a in the desired embodied without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to ref ceive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of such passage; a thread engaging element movable across the axis of such passage and into the slot to engage a thread disposable therein; means biasing said element toward the slot; and cam means normally obstructing such movement of said element; said cam means being displaceable by the device inserted in the passage, to release said element for movement by said bias-45 ing means through the eye of the device and into the slot and thread engaging position; said cam means, upon withdrawal of the device, forcing said element to its retracted position and said element, in retracting, drawing a loop of theirs() thread through the eye of such device to thread the latter.

2. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and.;5,, a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of such passage; a thread engaging element movable across the axis of such passage and into a thread disposable therein; iirst means biasing said element toward the slotnjfo cam means engageable by a device inserted in the passage; and second means biasing said cam means to a position obstructing movement of said element into the slot; said cam means being displaceable by the device inserted in the passageppg to release said element for movement by said first means through the eye of the device and into the slot and thread engaging position; said second means, upon withdrawal of such device, moving said cam means toward its obstructinggm position to force said device to its retracted position and said element, in retracting, drawing a loop of the thread through the eye of such device to thread the latter.

3. A threading appliance comprising, in com- '4 75 means in the passage latter.

bination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of such passage; a thread engaging element movable across the axis of such passage and into the slot to engage a thread disposable therein; first means biasing said element toward the slot; cam means engageable by a device inserted in the passage; and second means biasing said cam means to a position obstructing movement of said element into the slot; said cam means being displaceable by the device inserted in the passage, to release said element for movement by said first means through the eye of the device and into the slot and thread engaging position; said second means, upon withdrawal of such device, moving said cam means toward its obstructing position to force said device to its retracted position and said element, in retracting, drawing a loop of the thread through the eye of such device to thread the latter; the biasing effect of said second means being stronger than that of said rst means.

4. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of such passage; a thread engaging element movable across the axis of such passage and into the slotl to engage a thread disposable therein;

eiiective to engage the inserted device to align the eye with said element; means biasing said element toward the slot; and cam means normally obstructing such movement of said element; said cam means being displaceable by the device inserted in the passage, to release said element for movement by said biasing means through the eye of the device and into the slot and thread engaging position; said cam means, upon withdrawal of the device, forcing said element to its retracted position and said element, in retracting, drawing a loop of the thread through such device to thread the latter.

5, A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to vreceive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of such passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across theY axis of such passage and into the slot to engage a thread disposable therein; spring means normally biasing said element to swing toward the slot; and cam means nor- Amally obstructing such movement of said element; said cam means being displaceable by the device inserted in the passage, to release said element for movement by said spring means through the eye of the device and into the slot and thread engaging position; said cam means, upon withdrawal of the device, swinging said element to its retracted positionV and said element, in retracting, drawing a loop ofthe thread through the eye of such device to thread the 6. A threading appli-ance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive'a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the axis of 'such passage; a thread eng-aging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across the axis of such passage and into the slot to engage a thread disposable therein; iirst spring means norm-ally biasing said element to swing toward the slot; cam means longitudinally movable' in alignment with the passage and enswing said element throughthe eye ofithe device :into the slot and thread engaging fposition; said second spring means, luponiwitlidrawal ofthe device,.forcing said camzmeans toswing said ele-z ment to such retracted position-and-said element, .in .'retracting, .drawing pa loop `of .the `thread 1 through. the eye of such fdeviceto thread .the latter.

7.;ii;threading appliance comprising, in combi- Y nation. afmemher formed with -a passage .to re- :ceive a needle having an'eye to iloe threaded and a :thread receiving slotintersecting thez-.axisof suchipassage; a thread engaging elementppivotal- `ly`= mounted in said member for swinging. movement across the axis of such passage. and into -the slot to yenf-gage a threaddisposabletherein; means in the passage effective to'engagegthe inserted needle to align the eye with said element; first spring. means normallynbiasing said `element lto swing toward the slot; cam means longitudinally movable in .alignment .with .the passageand engaging said element; and second spring means "biasing said cam means to alposition holding said element retracted from the, passage; said second spring means being stronger than said rst spring means; said second spring means :.being compressed by a needle inserted in the passage and engaging said cam means toprovide for said yrst spring means to swing said-element through the eye ofthe needle into the slotzand thread engaging position; said second spring z means, .upon :withdrawal of the needle, forcing said cam means :to swing said element to such'retracted position vand said element, in retracting, Vdrawing a loop 'of the thread through'the eye of such needle to thread the latter.

3. A threading appliance comprising, in combi- -n-ation, a member formed with a passage tore- V'ceive a needle having an eye :to loe'threaded and 4a thread receiving slot intersecting the 4axis of .such passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mo-unted in said member ior swinging move- 4ment across the axis of thezipassagev andV .into the .slot-to engage a thread spring means extending along the pass-age to engage a needle and align its eye with `said element; first spring means normally-biasing'said element toswing toward the slot; vcam means longitudinally movable in alignment with thepassage and engaging said element; and second spring means biasing said cam means toa position holding said 'element retracted from the passage; said second spring means being stronger 'than said rst spring -means; ypressed by a needle insertedin the passage-'and :engaging said cam meanstoprovide or'said first 'springmeans to swing saidelement through the eye of the needle into the slot and threaden- 4gaging position; sai f withdrawal of the needle, -forcing said cam means to swing said element to such retracted position and `said element, in retracting,drawing -a loop 'of' the thread through the eye of such needle to thread the latter.

9..A threading appliancegcomprising, in combination, a member formed with a'fhst, relative- .ly ysmall diameter @passageto receive .a needle, a i second larger diameter passage aligned with said first passage .and a thread receiving slot intersectldisposable therein; at

said second spring means :lceing corn-iiV d secondcspring means, upona .ling the :upper portion `of such-second passagepia thread engaging element pivotally mountedzin said member for swinging. movementacross-the second passage and 'into the slot to engagea thread disposable therein; first spring means normally biasing said element'to swing toward-the slot; a plunger slidably mounted in the second passage and having acam surface on its outer end engaging said element; second spring means biasing said plunger outwardly so that said cam surlface forces said element-to a retracted position; said second spring means being strongerthan said rst spring means; said-second spring means being compressi-ble lay a needle inserted in the fir-st passage and eng-aging the plunger 4outerend whereby the cam surface is retracted to provide .for said irst spring means to swing said element :through the needle eye into the slot and thread engaging position; the needle eye, upon rele-ase of the needle.- camming said element toward the retracted positionand said cam surface then engaging said element to continue camming Y.the same ltoward the retracted position, and said element, `in retracting, drawing. a loop of the thread through the eye of such needle to thread the latter.

10. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a first, relatively small diameter'passage to receive a needle, a second larger diameter passage-aligned with said rst passage and a thread receiving slot intersecting the upper portion of such second passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in Asaid member for swinging movement across the ,second passage and into the slot to engage .a thread disposable therein; means effective to vengage the inserted needle to align the eye 'with vvsaid element; first spring means normally `biasing .said Aelement to swing toward the slot; la .plunger slidably mounted in said second-passage :and rhaving a cam surface on its outer end engaging :said element; second springmeans biasing'said .plunger outwardly so that said cam surface forces .said element to a retractedposition andsaid plunger, in the outerposition, closing the Vinner end of the slot; said second spring means being -stronger than said rst spring means;l said second spring means being compressihle by a needle inserted in the rst passage and .engagingthe plunger outer end :whereby the cam surface, is retracted to provide for said rst spring means to swing said element through the needle eye into the slot and thread .engaging position; the needle eye, upon withdrawal of the needle, camming said element towardthe retracted .po- .sition and said cam surface then engaging said element to continue .camming the same toward .the retracted position, and said element inre- -tracting drawing a` loop of the threadthrough the eye of such needle to thread the latter.

11. A threading appliance comprising, in comy'binatiom a member formed with a rst, .relavtively small diameter'passage to receive a needle, Ya second larger Ydiameter passage aligned with said rst passage, and a thread receiving slot intersecting the upper portion of such second passage; an element pivotally mounted in said member; a thread engaging hook mounted on said element and extending toward the intersection of the second passage and the slot; ilat spring means extending. along the irst passage to engagea needle and align its eye withA said hook; yirst. spring means normally biasing 'said element to swing the hooktoward the .slotrand :75 into threadengagingv position; aY plunger slide-bly mounted in the second passage and having a cam surface on its outer. end engaging said hook; second spring means biasing said plunger outwardly so that said cam surface forces said hook and element to a retracted position; said plunger, in the outer position, closing the inner end of the slot; the needle eye, upon withdrawal of the needle, camming said hook toward the retracted position and said cam surface then engaging said hook to continue camming the same toward the retracted position, and said hook, in retracting, drawing a loop of the thread through the eye of such needle to thread the latter.

CLARENCE A. PINKHAM.

BARTHOLOMEW HOLOHAN.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

